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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25353529">Of Loosening &amp; Tightening Hold</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluesuperGiant/pseuds/bluesuperGiant'>bluesuperGiant</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Break Up, Exes, F/M, Fluff, Luka Couffaine Loves Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Lukanette, Mama marinette, One Night Stand, Pining, Unplanned Pregnancy, fuck i have a son?, gabriel agreste you asshole, marinette is a bomb, surprise you have a son motherfucker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:35:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,560</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25353529</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluesuperGiant/pseuds/bluesuperGiant</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When he first saw her, with her rumored child, his heart felt like it was enveloped by ice.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>138</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When he first saw her, with her rumored child, his heart felt like it was enveloped by ice.</p>
<p>She was a few feet away from him, in front of a nursery school, crouching down and opening her arms to a running toddler with chubby legs. Of course this isn’t really the first time he saw her with her son. He often visited her social media, and a few photos were of her with the kid, but always with his face turned away. She didn’t allow the media for any photos of her son, for privacy he understands too well. He knew he should turn and walk away, like he’s always done in the past, but it was curiosity that planted his feet. She never disclosed the identity of the child’s father and she sure as hell isn’t married despite the rumors going around that actually, she is, with the runway angel and heir of Agreste fashion, they’re just keeping it a secret from the people because the son of the company and its head designer getting hitched is such a juicy, juicy issue indeed and its bound to affect his reputation one way or the other.</p>
<p>So it was curiosity, as he waits in anticipation, expecting to see Agreste green eyes, or at least a feature of Adrien’s face. But when Marinette turned her back with the child in her arms and its face in her shoulder, he finally saw.</p>
<p>When he first saw the blue eyes— eerily identical to his, his heart stopped. And when the child’s face turned soft as he hugs his mother closer, Luka’s heart started again and with every beat growing faster.</p>
<p>It was the face he saw in his sister when she smiles, the face he saw in his mother after her laughter died down, and it was the face he saw in his own on the pictures taken when he was seventeen and Marinette was beside him. It was the face of a Couffaine expressing happiness and elation. And it was steadfastly walking away from him and damn everything if he’s going to let it go away again this time. He threw caution and questions in the air of what if he’s wrong, what if she doesn’t want him in her life, what if—what if—</p>
<p>If the universe is giving him yet another sign—and the universe is giving him an equivalent of a big arrow with neon lights pointing at her direction and a billboard with the message SECOND CHANCE GET IT NOW, he’d be an idiot not to take it. So he took off running.</p>
<p>And was hit by a car.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Luka regained consciousness, he was vaguely aware of the hand gripping his and soft sniffles by his side. His eyes were foggy and mind cloudy to register the hospital room he was in before he slipped away to unconsciousness again.</p>
<p>In his dream, he saw a memory. He was seventeen and holding Marinette tight as she sobbed in his shirt. The memory shifted and they were facing the Seine along with some of their friends with him strumming his guitar, playing her melody, and her by his side.  The dream shifted to memories of them hanging out in different afternoons and different sunsets, walks around the city with all the different ways he resisted the urges of holding her hand, until such time came when he did and she smiled up at him sweetly, and every time after that, of dropping her off in their bakery every evening, the first few times with a shy “Goodnight, Marinette.” And eventually with goodbye kisses. With going to her school after classes and the sweet elation when he realized the look she used to give Adrien was finally directed at him, to hanging out with the band at the Liberty afterwards. When school ended and summer started, to sunbathing in the boat deck and iced lemonades she brought from home. To the fiasco of finding out Jagged Stone was his biological father, and her being there for him as he deals with the aftermath.</p>
<p>The dream continued to shift on his memory when school started again and Marinette was getting acknowledged for her skills, to Audrey Bourgeois offering her internship for when she gets to her final year, and even Gabriel Agreste taking notice of her. At that time he didn’t suspect anything when she was suddenly being constantly paired up with Adrien with projects, not even when she was invited for dinner at expensive restaurants not just once by Gabriel, but it was always Adrien who was there, with apologies from Gabriel because something came up but she could discuss work with his son instead so enjoy the evening. Some nights Sabine and Tom convinces Luka to come over bring dinner up to their daughter because God knows just how deep in her work she is, and to nights collapsing in his arms from exhaustion but he never complains because it’s her passion and the work may be killing her but the payoff when she finishes and he is bathing in her luminous smile is always worth it.</p>
<p>His sweet memory of her congratulations on his graduation and turning eighteen, to his excitement from getting permission from her parents that yes they could take Marinette on a boat trip for 3 days provided that Anarka keeps a close eye on them but of course the captain spent her eye mostly on the horizon and a wink and “Keep it down children,” to Juleka’s “Ew gross!” and to the vacation spent with laughter and adventure.</p>
<p>But of course after the paradise came the summer she’s busier than ever from working at her internship and commissions and him on his part time job. The memory was bitter of him in the party for celebrating the successful show his girlfriend helped design for the Gabriel fashion, where when he was alone with the Agreste head, the talk turned sour with his snide comment about Luka’s relationship with his full of potential intern. He was left feeling unworthy and insecure after that conversation, and he started taking notice the flick of eyes on his dyed hair and pierced ear and painted nails by people Marinette introduce him to.</p>
<p>So when he was offered a five year contract to tour with a rock band, and he went to talk to Marinette about it but saw she was talking with Adrien, he remembered thinking she looks right where she belongs, in a world where he has no place into and that she is far, far out of his reach, that the comments the fashion mogul said to him before made sense and he wouldn’t be able to fit in beside her, no name as he is.</p>
<p>When he signed the contract, intent on making a name for himself, to somehow deserve to stand even just at the edge of her space, he didn’t intend on breaking both their hearts. He cut off all communications, even with her texts and attempts at reaching out, weighs heavy on his heart.</p>
<p>His memory shifted when he was twenty-three and beer was sliding down his throat. Young, talented, and famous, he made a name for himself outside of being Jagged Stone’s son. But of course that doesn’t mean he’s exempted on being invited on one of Jagged’s crazy club party. He turned away from the stage where his father was hollering over the mic, and that’s when his eyes landed on Marinette. He remembers the burn on his throat when the beer tried to push back up and some even escaping, making him spit back into his glass. Gone were the cute pigtails she used to prefer, in its place her hair was down and styled beautifully for the night, and what she’s wearing had him trouble breathing. It was a simple enough dress that reaches down her thigh, not short enough to be provocative or long enough to be conservative but just the right amount to tease, and when she made a turn to make her way towards the stage, he was rewarded with the sight of her bare back. He can swear he wore the right size for his pants but for some reason it’s getting pretty tight, especially around the crotch area.</p>
<p>His eyes followed her the entire time she socialized; after greeting Jagged she went around talking to people she knows, then went to the bar. She was holding two different drinks in her hands when she turned around and spotted him. He watched, frozen in his seat as she stood frozen herself in the middle of the way. Then she raised one of the drinks she’s holding and swallowed its content down her throat, looked back at him and deciding one drink isn’t enough, she drank the other one as well. When she finished both glasses she turned back to the bar and that’s when someone slapped Luka’s shoulder, wrenching him back to his senses. He turned and found his friend talking and laughing, though he couldn’t register what he’s saying, Luka’s gaze focused on the glass full of beer in his hand. Snatching it, he took a full swig at its content. With the empty glass, he stood up, muttering something about owing him a drink, and made his way to the bar.</p>
<p>She was still there when he reached the counter, downing a drink quick and straight. She didn’t notice he was there until he called for the bartender. Upon hearing his voice she whipped her head at his direction and swayed a little. Clearly, the alcohol is working on her system and he reached a hand to steady her. They were drunk, and obviously nervous, but they got to talking. From talking came to bickering, and both frustratedly drunk, they took it out on dancing. Touches were exchanged, hands traveling up and down one another’s body, and he was in the middle of going to town on her cleavage when she called his name in that sweet way of hers. And they were kissing and clutching at one another.</p>
<p>Somehow he managed to take her to his place and when they were done messing his room up, he laid there contented and happy, holding her close in a loose embrace and thinking after all these years, he’s finally home. He never thought he’d wake up in the morning cold and alone. And once again Luka stood in the shards of his broken heart.</p>
<p>He mended piece by piece with music, and even though it broke again when he saw her post a picture on a date with someone, weeks after their encounter, music was always there to stitch him back up. He can’t help but think he deserves everything after being a jerk in the past. She went on plenty of dates after that, but never with the same guy twice. Then she went quiet for months. And it was with surprise when he saw her post a picture of her growing bump, he saw green, and then red, and realizing he has no right to those colors, he came back to being blue.</p>
<p>As he scrolled through the comments, he saw many were asking who the father was; the ones who were at least polite made congratulations. She never responded to any one of those and pretty soon the media was full of speculations on who the father of the famous designer’s baby was. When she finally deigned to address the matter, she only stated it doesn’t matter because she’s going to raise the child alone.</p>
<p>It was after a concert when he heard an outrageous claim that it was Adrien Agreste’s. This came to be because the two were pretty close and some are even pining them together after the model’s confession years ago that he’s in love on a certain designer he’s been working with for years, and that didn’t take two on two to know who he’s referring to. But nothing came of it, to Luka’s relief.</p>
<p>The model was asked of this matter but he didn’t give any comment.</p>
<p>It was 2 years before Luka saw Marinette again. They just launched their second album and Jagged was adamant about not having other artist design their cover. So they were forced to contact Marinette.</p>
<p>It was hard to make a schedule with her as she’s always flying back and forth between New York and Paris, but when they finally settled on the when and where, she showed up like a nuclear bomb. She was beautiful as ever, if not more so, and Luka was sweating again like the hormonal teenager he wasn’t. The band already loved her so it wasn’t as awkward as Luka thought it’d be, but the first few meetings were strained between them. Then they eased up gradually, talking like they were before, and in all those moments all Luka wanted was to ask her out, assuming she’s still in the market.</p>
<p>He worked his way bit by bit, flirting a little here and there, and maybe it’s just him but every time he does she seems glad and shy at the same time. She welcomes his advances (if they can be called that), but doesn’t reciprocate, and it’s okay because every time she flushes red his heart does a backflip and breakdances over his chest.</p>
<p>When they finalized the album design he took that moment to get her number and ask if it’s okay for him to send her messages now and then. The look on her face showed shock and disbelief and Luka was about to apologize when she eagerly nodded her head and grabbed her phone from her pocket, albeit clumsily.</p>
<p>They’ve been exchanging messages for months so Luka knows she’s away on vacation when he went home, a little disappointed he won’t be bumping into her in Paris. He did not bother telling her this decision though, seeing as she didn’t ask.</p>
<p>So it was with surprise when what happened, happened.</p>
<p>______________________________________________________________</p>
<p>When he next opened his eyes he’s back in the hospital and he saw Marinette by the window speaking in a hushed voice in her phone. His body feels like it gained a thousand pound and his throat feels like the Sahara when he called to her, “Hey.”</p>
<p>She immediately whirled on him and dropped her phone when she tried to reach his side. The moment she reached him she burst into tears.</p>
<p>“You were hit by a car a-and even though the doctors said there were no serious injuries, you didn’t wake up for 2 d-days! The results from the scan came out and it showed nothing—’’ she went on explaining as she clutched his hand. He tried to get a word in, calling her name a couple times and she only stopped when he mouthed “Water.”</p>
<p>When he finished the glass he saw she finally stopped crying. So he started, “Marinette,” she looked up and stared at his eyes. “I love you and I wanna meet our son, is that alright?”</p>
<p>The tears started flowing again, but a smile was slowly curling her mouth when she nodded vigorously, and she was sobbing and laughing when she said, “Yes! Yes, he’s been asking for you too.” Sniffling she gripped his hand tighter and finished with: “I love you.”</p>
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